Chasing Stars
by glindalovesshoes
Summary: "Your new Miss Teen America is Maine, Regina Mills!" the host announced. Regina's heart had been beating incredibly fast the whole time and now that she'd won, she felt nothing but relief. Mother would be so proud of her./ Young Regina cannot escape her mother's control until she meets someone who changes her life forever and finally helps her to follow her dreams. OutlawQueen/CS
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! I hope I can sweeten the long hiatus with this little story of mine. It's extreme AU and I really hope you're going to like this little idea here. It's going to be very OQ and also a little CS. The rating is for upcoming chapters, so I hope you stay tuned.

Thanks so much to the lovely waterbaby134 for betaing, she's the best :)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the following story. Only the idea is mine.

Chasing Stars

(1)

 _The audience was silent. You could hear a pin drop. The cameras were trained on the final five participants. They stood in a row, wearing pretty long dresses with their sashes draped across their upper body. They were all holding each other's hands, (as instructed by the hosts) all smiling, anticipating the announcement. They were trying to show the audience they were all happy, all good friends. No one begrudged the other one the win - at least that's how it was supposed to look from the outside. Later on in the backstage area, the cats would pull out their claws and take each other down._

 _"We are now going to announce the runners up and the winner of the Miss Teen America contest of 1995," the host announced while the crowd cheered in anticipation. "Our fourth runner up is Oklahoma, Alice Wonder!" Applause._

 _Alice, who stood in the middle, let go of the other girl's hands and walked to the front, where she was given a small trophy and had to take a picture. Without casting the other girls another look, she walked over to the right, waiting for the other three to join her._

 _"The third runner up is Hawaii, Jasmin Agrabah." The girl put on a fake smile, and walked to the front, following the same procedure Alice had before. There were tears in her eyes, but she faked her smile very well._

 _"The second runner up is California, Anastasia Scarlet!" Anastasia let out a huff of disappointment. She had always had a problem controlling her anger in front of the camera. She took the small trophy and smiled into the cameras, then leaving quickly for the others to be called to the front._

 _The last two girls walked forward, both holding hands. "And now we are going to announce the first runner up and the Miss Teen America, 1995!" the female host announced. The girls stood opposite each other now, holding both hands._

 _"Good luck," one girl whispered smiling._

 _"I don't need luck," the other girl answered, annoyed with a fake smile. She despised her, although she did not know what she had ever done to her to deserve all the hatred._

 _"And now, your first runner up for the title of Miss Teen America is... Florida, Miss Zelena West!" The crowd started cheering, applauding. Zelena had a hard time keeping up her fake charade. Instead she gave her counterpart a short, cold hug, before she stepped back._

 _"Which means your new Miss Teen America is Maine, Regina Mills!" the host announced and the crowd started to cheer even louder. Regina's heart had been beating incredibly fast the whole time and now that she'd won, she felt nothing but relief. She let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Mother would be so proud of her._

 _Music started playing, while Regina was pushed back to the front, while the former Miss Teen America gave her a bouquet full of red roses and fastened the sash around her shoulder. Then a crown was put on her head, while the hosts once again announced her winning. She smiled and waved cheerfully at the crowd and into the cameras. The stage filled with the other participants who congratulated each other, while the hosts ended the show at least for the television audience._

 _Regina was deluged with congratulations on her winning. She could still feel Zelena's hatred eyes on her back, but she didn't care. None of them had been here to make friends; they'd been here to win. And won she had._

 _Once the stage was cleared for the families of the participants to approach, Regina could see her mother making her way through. "We won, darling! We won!" Cora smiled happily. Regina was about to hug her, but Cora put a stop to it. "Oh no, dear, you're going to ruin your appearance." Instead, she pressed a soft kiss on her daughter's cheek. Regina waited. Waited for a_ well done _or_ I'm proud of you _, but her mother said nothing. She just looked at her, eyes full with relief and something Regina couldn't quite put her finger on._

 _"They are waiting for interviews, Regina. Go, go. A queen never lets the others wait." Regina nodded and walked over to the reporters who were waiting to get her statement. Cora followed her and, as always, found huge pleasure in introducing herself as the proud mother whose daughter had just won the title of Miss Teen America. She sung her praises to the reporters and posed for a few pictures with Regina._

 _Later on that evening, Regina, her father and her mother went back to their hotel. Henry had suggested they celebrate his daughter's win at a steakhouse, but Cora had declined. "We won't want her to get fat, do we?" she'd said. Henry had smiled at Regina apologetically as always. He'd never been one to object to Cora's wishes._

 _So Regina had been more than surprised, when two hours after they returned to their hotel a knock on her door startled her. Quickly she got up, expecting it to be her mother checking if she'd stored the crown correctly in the wooden box Cora she'd had manufactured just for this occasion. To her surprise, it was her father waiting for her there._

 _"Daddy? What are you doing here?"_

 _Henry smiled and asked to be let inside. Regina stepped aside to let her father inside the room. "I'm very proud of you, Regina," he told her, "And I have a gift for you." He held up a pizza box. Regina's eyes widened._

 _"Oh my god, is this what I think it is?"_

 _"Pepperoni with mushrooms and double cheese? Yes, I think it is what you think it is." Henry put the box down on her bed and sat down beside it. "Just don't tell your mother I did this, or I'll never hear the end of it."_

 _"I won't", Regina promised, before she startled her father with a big hug. Henry pressed a kiss to her cheek, telling her once again how proud he was. After a while Regina let go of him, her eyes scooting longingly over to the pizza box. Her father laughed and opened it._

 _"Bon appétit my little princess." Regina rolled her eyes before she bit into a thick slice of delicious greasy pizza. There were so many moments when she hated this life, this dream her mother was living with her, but these moments were definitely worth the agony._

Xxxxx

Regina liked to think back to these moments whenever things became too much. She was tired and exhausted from all the appointments her mother had dragged her to this morning. A dress fitting here, ballet lessons there... she was twenty-one years old and sometimes still felt like a child.

"Regina, darling, where are you with your thoughts again? You really have to start to become more attentive, otherwise you will never win the Miss America contest."

"Maybe I don't want to," she muttered under her breath.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing!" Regina stepped onto the pedestal in the middle of the room so the dressmaker could put needles into the parts of fabric that still needed tailoring.

"I want the corset tighter and the hem a little shortened. Regina, have you been doing the exercises Sydney showed you?" Cora let out a huff, somehow displeased with the whole situation. They had been trying to find the perfect dress for a while now and when they had not been able to find anything, Cora had hired the local dressmaker to tailor a dress that suited her vision.

Although Regina felt uncomfortable, she didn't say anything. It wasn't like she had a say in the matter. And yes, she had been doing the exercises her personal trainer had showed her before her mother fired him. He'd had a crush on her, which was pretty weird for a man in his mid fifties.

"You gained weight, Regina. How often have I told you..."?

"I have not gained weight, mother! Can you please let it go? The dress fits, doesn't it?"

"The contest is in a few weeks and you have to be in your best state. We are not going to become Miss America with you continuing to sneak out for ice-cream and soda. Oh, please don't give me that look. Of course I know what you're doing when you think I'm not looking. How you look in a swimsuit makes 15% of the preliminary competitions scoring!" Cora sounded rather angry.

Suddenly her phone started ringing. She mumbled an excuse and stepped outside. Regina let out a breath.

"You look beautiful, Miss Mills, no matter what your mother says," the woman smiled. Regina gave her a smile in return, looking at the mirror reflection.

"It's hard to fit her standards. Not that there was one time in my life I was actually close to reaching them. I just wish..." The door burst open as Cora rushed back inside. She seemed rather annoyed with everything and the phone call had apparently added to her bad mood.

"Great, this is just great. I have to meet Cruella now. Apparently there is something she cannot postpone. Regina, you will stay here until Miss Blue is finished. When will that be?"

The dressmaker looked up, frowning: "With all the changes I'm afraid we won't be done before eleven pm."

Regina groaned silently, but her mother didn't look troubled at all. "Fine. I'll tell your father to pick you up. I'll see you later, darling." She grabbed her purse and rushed outside, leaving Regina and Miss Blue alone.

Miss Blue looked at her with pity, but she continued putting the needles where they belonged. After thirty minutes she stopped. "Are we done already?" Regina asked surprised.

"Your work is done here, Regina. I feel like you need the afternoon off."

The young girl gaped at the dressmaker. "But... I don't know maybe I should stay. It's not like I have anything better to do and..." The woman stepped forward to rest a hand on her shoulder. She looked at her with deep blue eyes.

"Your mother demands a lot from you. You deserve a few hours just for yourself. Do what _you_ would like to do. There must be something, right? Something you always wanted to do but never had the time?" Miss Blue stared at her and Regina wondered for a moment if the woman was trying to hypnotize her. She cleared her throat.

"Well... I guess if I tried I could think of... something."

"There, there. I'll help you out of this dress and you can go wherever you like. If your father comes to pick you up, I'll tell him you already went home early, okay? Just be home by 11 pm."

"I will be home when the clock strikes 11pm. I don't want to turn into a pumpkin and have my mother's wrath on me after all," Regina promised excited. Well, it looked like for the first time forever she was allowed to do what she wanted. An afternoon off... it seemed like a dream coming true. Miss Blue helped her to undress and within minutes she was out on the street.

Xxxxx

Freedom. She was free. She had a whole late afternoon and evening to do whatever she wanted. The thing was just... she didn't know where to start or what to do. She'd been living here in Portland most of her life, but she'd never had the time to make friends around here since her mother had dragged her to every beauty contest in the whole country possible. She'd been home schooled; her afternoons had been filled with ballet, rhythmic gymnastics, piano and other dance classes and on the weekends they were running around the country for the contests. The only real hobby she'd ever had had been with... _him_. She'd never forget these three months in the summer, which were the best and worst thing that had ever happened to her. Those three months in 1994 where she lost and found everything; people she came close to calling her friends and most importantly... _Daniel_.

Sadly, Regina realized she didn't have any friends here, not anymore, at least none she could call or go to. The realization was nothing new but still, it hit her hard. She was... alone.

Regina walked down the street, her eyes focused on the ground. This was stupid. She wanted to do something, wanted to have friends, but she never had been given the chance to make any. Her mother had always wanted her to become a beauty queen. She'd been Miss Teen America in 1995 and now, four years later, her mother wanted her to become Miss America. For the first time in a long while Regina wondered what it was that she wanted. The question was... should she? She bit her lip, not sure what to do...

"Careful!" someone yelled, but it was too late. She lost her balance and fell backwards, trying to grip something or rather someone to prevent her from falling. It was too late though. With a thud, she landed on her ass only to get drowned in soda a second later.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Sorry, so sorry. I wasn't looking and... Wait, do I know you from somewhere?"

Regina looked up, disgusted by the sticky liquid of soda on her shirt. A blonde woman was kneeling beside her apologizing over and over again. She seemed familiar, but Regina couldn't put her finger on why.

"I uh... I don't know." Most of the times people recognized her from the newspapers or sometimes even television. "I'm... Regina Mills."

The blonde eyed her for a second before a recognizing look washed over her face. "Regina! Of course. Oh my god it's been ages!" The dark haired woman looked confused. "Oh, you don't remember me, do you? Well, it's been some time. I'm Emma. Emma Swan. We played together a couple of times. I live down the street."

Emma Swan. An image of a blonde, very small girl with missing front teeth came to her mind. It was vague, but Regina remembered. "Emma. I'm so sorry, I didn't recognize you."

Emma waved it aside. "No trouble at all. Like I said it's been what? Fifteen years?"

"Probably," Regina smiled, taking the blonde's hand to help her up.

"I'm still so sorry about the soda. Your shirt..."

"Never mind. That's what washing machines are for. It's good to see you. Really good," she said, and meant it. Emma grinned at her.

"I have a clean shirt in my car. If you'd like to change... I'm not sure the sticky sweet soda will do any good in long term."

"Sounds like a good idea," Regina agreed and followed Emma to the yellow bug on the side of the road. She opened the trunk and rummaged in a black duffle bag until she was able to pull out a plain white shirt and a dark blue leather jacket.

"Here you go. Sorry again for the soda."

"I really don't mind, Emma," she answered smiling and quickly pulled the shirt over her head. From afar they could hear a whistle, which made both of them roll their eyes.

"Guys these days. Listen, I'm really sorry Regina, but I'm about to meet up with a few friends of mine."

Her face fell. Of course, friends. The kind of people she didn't have in her life. She put on a smile like she always did, the believable one, the one with which she'd won all her contests. "Oh don't worry. It was really nice seeing you again."

Emma looked at her intensely. Regina's smile looked credible, but she sensed something was... off. "Uh, you know if you're not busy how about you tag along? I'll drive you home later. It's nothing big, really. We'll probably just hang out and do... stuff."

The brunette raised her eyebrow, taken back a little due to the surprising offer. "You know, I'm really not that into weed."

Emma's eyes widened: "What? No! With stuff I mean hang out, eat food... stuff, you know?"

Regina grinned. Well, it was not like she had anywhere else to go, right? Spending the day with Emma and her friends was probably much better than walking through the streets all on her own. Miss Blue had given her the chance to spend her day however she liked, so...

"I know, I was just kidding. I'm in!"

"Great, get inside." She did not need to be asked twice. Quickly, Regina got inside the car and buckled up her seatbelt.

"Where are we going?" she asked when Emma started the engine.

"The racetrack," Emma grinned. _Shit._


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I really hope you guys enjoyed the teaser. I hope you're fond of longish chapters because from what I see, people tend to post +10k chapters. I'm so glad you appreciate long chapters and hope you enjoy this one here too!

I'd like to thank you for the reviews, favs and follows, I hope this story won't disappoint you :) As always a huge thanks to my friend waterbaby for betaing!

* * *

(2)

Regina held her breath when they drove down the all too familiar path to the racetrack. There'd been a time in her life when she'd been here every day from the early morning to late evenings. Still, these times were over. Everything looked exactly the same. Nothing had changed in the past five years except that maybe some parts looked even more bedraggled than others.

Emma parked the bug in a free space between rows of different cars. She picked up the bag with the hamburgers she'd been carrying when she'd run into Regina and shut the doors. "I bet they are wondering why it took me so long. Some of my friends can get pretty grouchy when they don't get food on time."

Regina simply nodded, not able to say anything else. The memories overwhelming here were a mix of pure bliss and pain. She followed Emma around the building down the way to the pits where a group of young adults was sitting on the pit's walls, waiting.

"Food!" Someone yelled and before the two of them could see them coming, they were surrounded by three people looking hungry as wolves. "Where have you been, Emma?" the tall girl with partly red hair in heels, a very short skirt and a leather jacket asked, annoyed. She was wearing heavy eye makeup and looked rather like she belonged into a club than a racetrack.

"And where's the soda?" a young man asked. He was also completely dressed in leather, his beard and earrings giving him kind of a dangerous but sexy vibe.

"There's no soda," Emma announced.

Technically, the soda was on me," Regina answered.

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "Yeah... Sorry again. Guys, I brought someone along. Regina, this is Ruby Wolff, Will Scarlett and Killian Jones, we all call him Hook though."

"Because he hooks up with like every girl which comes close to him. You should be careful," Ruby warned jokingly.

"Eh, I'm not that bad," the person in question shot back.

"Wait, there was Ashley, Aurora, Tamara, Ruby..." Will listed.

"Shut up Will Scarlet or I will kick your lazy butt," Ruby grunted, embarrassed, before her face grew serious. "I think I know you from somewhere, Regina."

"Oh?" Regina mumbled, feeling Hook's gaze upon her. She bit her lip trying desperately to look away.

"Oh my God, you're Regina Mills, right? Miss Maine?"

If fate was still waiting to give her a hole where she could vanish, now was the time to be given one. "Uh... yeah. I'm kind of undercover today since I'm not wearing my tiara, a ton of make-up and my snow cone gown, so don't tell anyone you saw me," Regina answered slightly embarrassed, but Ruby didn't care, she was simply excited.

"I won't tell anyone," Ruby winked. "This is really cool. I had no idea you knew Emma!"

"It was a more of a coincidence," Emma explained quickly. "Come on guys, let's eat. Regina, I got enough burgers for everyone, you're welcome to join us. Will!" She tried to grab the bag away from the young man, but he'd already run off with the burgers, Emma chasing him, while Ruby just rolled her eyes and walked over to the pits.

Now Regina had no choice but to look at Hook, who was giving her a knowing look. "Long time no see, Regina."

"Yeah... It's been a while. Not long enough if you ask me."

"Good thing I'm not asking then. Five years if I'm not mistaken," he answered, pushing. She didn't really know what to say. It'd been such a long time since she'd been here, since she'd seen anyone she'd met back in the summer five years ago.

Finally, she let out a sigh. "Listen, Killian... Hook or whatever they call you now. I'd appreciate if you could keep it to yourself that we know each other just until... until I feel like I can trust you again."

"He has never called you, has he?" She shook her head, the pain visible in her eyes. "He was an idiot, Regina."

"I don't remember asking you about your opinion," Regina mumbled and walked over to the pits where the others were already having their fair share of burgers. She knew her mother would kill her if she found out about the fast food, but she found that she didn't care at all. "Where's my cheese burger?" she asked cheerfully, catching the burger Will threw at her just in time. "Thanks."

They talked about light nonsense. Will continued to make jokes while Ruby and Hook constantly teased each other, much to Emma's distress. Regina observed the group, realizing they were a good match, complementing each other while being still completely different in their own ways. While apparently Ruby and Hook had had a fling years ago it didn't trouble their friendship at all. Regina could see they cherished each other like good old friends, but she got the feeling Emma wasn't so sure about the constant banter between them. If she didn't know any better, Regina would say Emma had a thing for the man in the leather pants.

She couldn't really believe she was here, was talking to these people who treated her like she'd been always a part of their group. Even when Ruby asked her about her achievements in the beauty-queen departure she didn't need to be shy, although she kept the talk about it to a minimum. The others frankly didn't care and also did not judge her for this kind of "hobby". If she didn't like to talk about it, no one would pressure her. It felt weird to be accepted like this, to not have the pressure of saying the right thing at the right moment, about being polite, sitting straight, about choosing the right words. This was just a group of young people enjoying their afternoon. This was how it was supposed to be.

Regina decided to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

Xxxxx

They were just listening to Will telling Regina a story about their camping adventure in the woods a few weeks ago, when Ruby jumped up. "Shit. Someone's paying us a visit, guys."

Three cars were coming closer via the racetrack with rapid speed, tracking a cloud of dust and sand behind them. There were two tuned pickup trucks behind a tuned 74' Plymouth Baraccuda, which was leading the convoy.

"Oh man, what do they want? I thought you won the race on Sunday, Hook," Emma grumbled.

"I did. And I think that's exactly the problem. He kicked Gaston out of his team after losing," Hook answered, his expression tight.

The cars came to a stop only a few yards away from them. The cloud of dust hit them, making it unable to see what was going on or who was getting out of the car.

"Pan brought his whole gang!" Ruby whispered. When the dust cleared, a group of people had gotten out of their cars. Most of them had their arms crossed in front of their chests, glaring over to the five people in the pit.

"Let's see what they want," Hook suggested, casually jumping over the wall, followed by Will and Ruby. Emma was just about to follow them, when Regina grabbed her hand.

"Emma. It's Horace and Jasper De Vil."

"I know, two dumbasses if you've ever seen some. Why? What's wrong?" the blonde wanted to know.

Regina bit her lip. "I'm not even supposed to be here. My mother thinks I'm at the dressmaker. She'll kill me if she finds out I spent my day with you. My mother is good friends with Cruella De Vil!"

"Ew. I hate that woman." Emma made a face. "Just stay here and duck down behind the wall Regina. They won't see you there."

"I'm sorry, this is all so messed up," Regina mumbled while sinking down the wall to sit on the ground. The other girl just shook her head and placed a hand on her shoulders before giving her an encouraging smile.

"No need to be sorry. We will deal with them." Without another word she jumped over the wall to support her friends who were already arguing with Pan and his gang.

"It was a fair win. Not my problem Gaston's wheel burst in the last round," Hook explained annoyed.

"Because you manipulated the pits!" Pan spit out, his hands balled into fists.

"You're crazy. Nobody did anything like that whatsoever. You just can't lose, Pan. If you need a shoulder to cry on go to your mommy!" Ruby grinned provokingly. Emma shot her a glance, advising her not to push her luck. They were clearly outnumbered by the boys and Pan was not known to be shy about picking a fight, especially when he had a whole bunch of guys who would do it for him.

"I want a rematch. The forest trail, two hours. If your team doesn't show up you'll be in trouble." Pan turned around, stalking over to his car.

"What a pussy," Will sighed... a moment too early because Pan turned around, his face ripped in anger.

"What did you just say?!"

"Nothing!" Will quickly answered.

"Let it go, Pan. You'll get your race. If we win, neither you nor any of your friends are going to step a foot on this racetrack again by the time of the Portland Cup. What are your stakes?" Emma asked, trying to calm the situation down a little.

Suddenly Pan smiled. "It's nice you asked. If I win... I'll have Hook's car."

"Deal," Emma agreed.

"Emma!" Hook protested loudly, "You can't just decide that!"

"Don't worry, you'll keep your car. We won't lose the race. Now piss off, Pan," she declared annoyed.

In the end, none of them had seen it coming. Apparently Will had kept on making faces at Devin who was known for his bad temper. He lunged forward, trying to punch Will in the face, but Hook shoved him away. Seeing his friend being pushed to the ground, Felix and two other boys lunged forward, one for Hook and one for Will.

"Emma!" Ruby yelped, looking at her friend not knowing what to do. "Stop it you idiots, stop it!"

Hook was able to punch one of the two boys in the face, but Devin and other one grabbed his arms to hold him fast, so Felix could lunge forward and give him two hard punches in the stomach. He yelped, struggling against the two boy's grip, but they wouldn't let go until Will jumped onto Devin from behind and brought him to the ground.

Hook and the other boy went down too, but not for long. He was able to shove the boy away and got up, only to earn a hard punch in the face by Felix.

"Kilian!" Emma yelled when she saw her friend go down once again. Felix started kicking him hard; so she jumped forward to shove him away from Hook. Angrily, Felix turned around to see who had attacked him, surprised to see it was Emma who didn't think long and gave him a precise kick into the stomach. It was really a good thing her father had taught her how to fight.

A loud bang made them all freeze in their movements. Pan was standing a few feet away from them, his arm raised into the air with a pistol in his hand. The silence was uncomfortable but effective. Pan's boys let go of whomever they were trying to fight and walked to their cars without another word.

"Two hours," he said before he put down the gun and walked to his car. "Two hours, Hook." Then they drove off.

Emma watched them before she quickly knelt down to look after her friend. Hook was lying on the ground, his hands covering his stomach. His nose was bleeding and his eye was starting to swell. He didn't look good. Will had gotten a few punches himself but in contrast to his friend he was already back on his feet.

"Kilian? Kilian, can you hear me?" Emma asked, concerned. Hook groaned, his eyes opening and closing like he was trying to stay conscious.

"Emma!" Regina said. She was standing behind them, her face in pure horror about the scene she'd just witnessed. She felt stupid for staying in the pit, but she'd been so scared Jasper and Horace would recognize her she had not been able to help them.

"We need to carry him to the house and put him down," Ruby finally said. The others nodded in understanding and together they managed to pick Hook up and carry him to the house a few yards away from the pits. It wasn't really a house for living in; it was more like a car repair shop mixed with a kitchen, bathroom and living area. It was mostly dirty and looked like no one had been living here in a while. The young man was groaning and in pain, but they were glad he was. As long as he was making noises it meant he was conscious. They put him down on an old brown leather couch.

"Shouldn't we call an ambulance?" Regina asked with concern.

"We can't, I don't know if he has insurance. He does not have the money to pay a huge medical bill. Ruby, get some ice from the freezer," Emma directed.

"He's a race car driver and doesn't have insurance?"

"Regina this is really not the time for this. Unless you know a doctor who would treat him for free, we cannot do anything at the moment," Emma snapped, taking the ice from ruby and putting it onto Hook's eye. The young man winched so she soothed him while caressing his hair.

Regina let out a huff before she turned around and left the house. No one asked where she was going. She hesitated a moment before she took out her phone and checked her phonebook for a number she never thought she'd dial. "Victor? It's Regina Mills... I need you to do me a favor."

Xxxxx

Twenty minutes later, the door of the house opened and a man with a white coat and a black briefcase entered. His eyes wandered around until he met Regina's and he smiled. The others looked up, too, surprised by their guest.

"Who is this?" Emma wanted to know. She was concerned because of Hook's condition. He'd passed out a few times in the past minutes and she was scared there was more damage than they could see from the outside.

"This is Dr. Whale. He's a... friend of mine," Regina explained.

"Good afternoon," the doctor greeted friendly. "May I see the patient? Can anyone tell me what happened?" Will and Ruby eagerly gave all the information the doctor needed, while Emma got up and dragged Regina into the nearest corner.

"I told you he doesn't have the money for private treatment!" she hissed.

"I know, Emma. He doesn't have to pay anything; I'll pay for it. I know Victor from two years ago. He treated me when I was suffering from pneumonia." She didn't mention she got sick because her mother had forced her to participate at a bikini contest in winter. The winner could win a photo shoot for a magazine with a professional photographer. The snowy mountain landscape had been beautiful but walking down the catwalk in nothing more than a bikini, while she already had a cold gave her the rest. The pain and suffering had been awful but thankfully her mother had abandoned the idea of winter bikini contests after that.

Victor had treated her, and formed something of a crush on her during that time. She'd tried to ignore it because he'd been in his late twenties while she'd only just turned eighteen, and the loss of Daniel was still eating her up. Nevertheless, he had given her his number on his last visit and told her to call in case she ever needed help.

"Are you sure he's not going to ask for money once he's finished?" Emma wanted to know. She was still a little skeptical.

"I promise," Regina answered. The blonde nodded and walked back to her friends and the doctor who was checking on Hook.

"From what I can say now it's merely a minor concussion. This means at least bed rest for three days and keeping it easy for the rest of the week. I'll leave this box with painkillers for you. They are very strong so you should be very careful with them. I won't be able to do anything about the bruises on your face. Keep putting ice on them and they will be gone in a few days. However, I'm afraid you won't be able to drive a car for the rest of the week due to the swelling and the pain-killers. They can blur your vision and extend your reaction rate," Dr. Whale explained. He put the things he needed back into his briefcase and left the orange box of painkillers with Ruby.

"Thank you, Dr. Whale," Emma said not able to tear her eyes away from Hook.

"You're very welcome, Miss Swan. Tell your mother I'll be looking forward to her visit for the ultrasound tomorrow morning."

Emma's face fell a little, but this time she managed to look up and simply nod.

"I'll bring you outside," Regina mumbled while guiding him to the door of the house. Once they were outside and she shut the door, she was overwhelmed by the look in his eyes. "Uh... thanks for your help, Victor."

"I told you to call me any time. I'm just sorry it took you so long to actually call... You look beautiful, Regina." The admiration in his voice was clear.

"Thank you. Would you... Would you mind not telling my mother about this?" She'd completely forgotten her mother talked to Whale at least once per month because of her father's thyroid pills. Cora probably hoped the two of them would hook up some day and she'd have a doctor as son-in-law. Regina was actually a little scared Victor might just want that when he answered.

"Of course I won't tell her. Two favors in one day, this is a lot to ask, Regina. I think you owe me now a favor in return."

Regina swallowed hard. "All treatment comes with a price, huh?" So much for 'call me if you should ever need my help'.

"Have dinner with me next week."

There it was, the moment she'd dreaded. Of course she should have known. In this world, everything came with a price and if you asked for a favor you had to give one in return. He was a freaking doctor, he could charge Hook hundreds of dollars but he didn't. "I uh... my mother... I don't really know because of the preparations for the Miss America contest..." _Damn it, think of something better, Regina!_

"I'll talk to your mother and ask her to give you an evening off. I know she can be quite possessive over you. So. Deal?" He held out his hand waiting for her to take it and confirm their deal. She didn't have a choice, she owed him. So Regina did what she always did when there was something she actually didn't want to do. She put on a smile, took his hand and nodded. This was stupid. She didn't want to go out with him. He smelled like hospital and he was over ten years older than her. Ugh. And all this to help a guy she doesn't even like! Hook owed her big time.

"Great. I'll be in touch!" Dr. Whale said and walked to his car. Regina didn't wait for him to leave; instead she went back inside, surprised there was a heavy discussion going on.

"You can't, Killian! You're in no condition to drive tonight," Emma explained angrily.

"She's right, mate, you can't drive and with all your injuries and the pain killers you'll wrap your car around the next tree in the first bend!" Will agreed.

"I'll rather have her wrecked than give her to Pan!" Hook groaned, trying to get up. Emma pushed him back down which made him yelp in pain. Quickly, she pulled her hands away, her face full of worry because she'd hurt him.

"Look, Hook. I can't drive because I have to help Granny in an hour, Will can't drive because you won't let him behind the wheel of your beloved car- " Will wanted to protest, but she shushed him. "Emma could drive but you know what happened last time. Honestly I don't know who else would win this race against Pan other than you."

Hook's face was in pure pain. He was thinking hard, everyone could see. It couldn't be easy for him with the headache and the concussion, but when realization hit him, they all raised their eyes. "Maybe none of the four of us can win against Pan... But _she_ can."

Xxxxx

Regina stared at him with wide eyes, her breath caught in her throat. She had really hoped it wouldn't come to this, but Hook had played his last card. Four pairs of eyes were directed at her, three of them with surprise, one of them with determination. She opened her mouth only to close it once again, the words stuck in her throat.

Emma was the first to speak: "What do you mean she can?"

Finally Regina snapped out of her rigor. "Yeah, Hook. I'm Miss Maine, I do runways not racetracks." She laughed nervously, trying to hide her nervousness behind a mask of smiles and jokes.

Hook cracked a smile, which looked pretty gruesome since his bruise was already swollen up to a size that made it hard for him to keep one eye open. Also, there was dried blood all over his face. "Quit it, Regina. You've done the forest trail at least a hundred times. You beat everyone back then and I know you can beat Pan."

"Seriously? I called the doctor for you and now you're selling me out to your friends?!" Regina's hands turned into fists.

"Wait, you know each other?" Emma figured. She looked surprised and a little betrayed they didn't say anything before. However she figured they both must have had their reasons. "How?"

"It's a long story and none of your concern," Regina mumbled, still not happy about how things had evolved. She should just go home, just tell her mother she'd done something incredibly stupid today and hope for her mercy. This had been a bad idea. Miss Blue had wanted to help her, wanted to give her memories of a happy afternoon and all she'd done was getting herself into some big fat trouble.

"Oh don't give me that look, Mills. It's not so long after all. But now is not the time for storytelling - Emma you have to bring her to the forest trail so she can check it out. It hasn't changed but it would be good for her to have a few practice rounds before the race starts." Once again Hook tried to get up, but the pain was making things hard for him.

"I can't drive, I won't drive." Regina said, her voice on the edge. "I saved your lazy butt one time today and I think that's enough. I don't owe you, Hook."

"Regina," he started but she shook her head.

"I can't and I won't. You know why. After everything that happened I don't really know why I'm even talking to you. I don't care about you or your stupid car!"

Now Emma was the one to say her name: "Regina, please..."

"No, Emma. I can't remember asking you for your opinion on this. I won't drive for this insufferable..."

"I'm sure you mean devilishly handsome," Hook interrupted her, wincing at the pain shooting through his body.

She shook her head. "You can't make me do this. I don't owe you anything after what happened. Even if I did the race, if my mother finds out..."

"She won't find out, Regina. Please, we will do anything but you heard Hook. If what he says is true, you're the only one who can do this," Ruby pleaded. "You're our last chance."

"He should have thought about this before he did what he did."

"Please, Regina," Emma pleaded now.

Regina was torn and couldn't decide what to do. Should she help these people she'd only just met or do the thing she was expected to do? They were looking at her with so much hope it was impossible for her to set her thoughts straight. Yes, she knew the forest trail and yes she was a real pro when it came to this particular one, but it had been years... and the last time she'd gone down that path it had not ended well. Also, why should she help Hook? He'd never done anything for her, so why...

There was a prickling in her fingertips, a prickling she knew all too well. He looked at her with a slight grin. Damn it. Damn the bastard. How could she wipe that cheeky grin off his face? Maybe she should do the race and wreck his car so they would be even.

"Name me one good reason why I should help you."

"Because I know deep down you're still the girl I met all those years ago. The girl who wouldn't back down from a fight," he answered honestly. "If you don't do it for me or them, do it for yourself."

She took a deep breath, a decision forming in her chest. Maybe it was time. This race would be full of memories, both painful and good, but she knew she couldn't run from her past forever. "I can't promise any one of you I'll win this. All I can do is try."

"That's all I ask," Hook answered, relieved. "I owe you. We all do."

Regina nodded: "But nobody must know who I am, nobody, okay? My mother must never know of this."

"She won't," Hook promised smiling. Now he looked even creepier with his bruises and all.

"I have a racing suit at home which might fit you, Regina. You can take Emma's helmet and we will just hide your hair inside the jacket so people won't even recognize you're a woman. You don't have to talk to Pan or anyone, you just have to do the race." Ruby smiled at her encouragingly before she jumped up and stormed toward the door. "Emma, you and Regina should go to the forest trail, I'll pick up the suit. Will, you'll try and get Hook home."

"Where are the keys, Killian?" Emma asked. The young man made a face but this time probably not because of the pain. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the keys to his car. He kissed them before tossing them to Regina.

"Take care of her like she was your own. I'd hate to wake up tomorrow morning and have lost her to Pan. No pressure though." He laughed but couldn't quite shake off the uncertainty of his decision to ask Regina to do the race for him.

"Stop being so melodramatic, it's just a car," Emma teased.

"She's all I have," Hook answered honestly before he watched the two women leave the house. Will waited for the door to close before he dropped himself on the couch next to Hook, who winced in pain.

"Sorry, mate. So now who's that Regina girl? Why didn't you say you know her?"

"I knew her a long time ago. Back in the summer when I started racing. She was there, too... She was Daniel's girlfriend," Hook explained.

"Wait... it's _her_?!" Will almost jumped off the couch once again. "It's really _her_?"

"Aye."

Will started to grin from ear to ear. "I hope it's not too late to put all my money on her. I'm going to be a rich man tonight."

"Not so fast, mate. From what I know she hasn't been behind a wheel since that summer. Don't bet on her just yet."

Xxxxx

Once they were outside, Emma tossed the keys over to Regina, who caught them in one swift move. They felt awfully heavy in her hand and she wondered if it wasn't the keys but her conscience that had added the weight.

"You know the way?" Emma asked and she Regina nodded. Yes, she knew the way. She'd find it blindfolded and with her hands tied behind her back. Hook's car was a black Mustang with silver applications. It smelled like a mix of leather and the sea, which was probably due to the air freshener in the form of a ship that was hanging from the rearview mirror. It wasn't the same car Hook had when they had first met. He must have invested a lot of money to finish off this little piece of jewelry.

Regina let her hands glide over the steering wheel taking a deep breath before she put the keys into the ignition and started the engine. It purred like a cat.

 _"I just got my license. Are you sure you want me to drive?" Regina asked insecurely. Daniel simply smiled and tossed her the keys._

 _"Get in, Regina. I trust you with this."_

 _She grinned at him happily, biting her lip. This was the first time Daniel let her drive his car, the first time someone trusted her with something precious to them. She wouldn't disappoint him for she'd been sitting on the passenger seat watching him drive. Once they got inside and fastened their seatbelts, Daniel smiled at her and leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Regina blushed, still a little nervous about how to deal with the fact she had a boyfriend now._

 _"Come on, the others are waiting. I don't want Neal to tease you again," Daniel encouraged her._

 _"He caught us making out in here_ once _and we will never hear the end of it," she agreed annoyed and started the car._

 _"That's why I think you should race against him on Saturday. He'll shut up once he's been defeated by a woman." Regina looked over to Daniel, who smiled confidently at her. "Never take your eyes off the road, Regina. Always look forward. If you watch what's going on behind you for too long you might lose your pole position."_

 _She nodded, her eyes going back to the road in front of her. "I'm not sure if I can do this, Daniel. Neal is one of the best drivers and I'm just..."_

 _"You're going to be just as good, Regina. You have a lot of potential. Trust me, together we will get you there. We will start training from today and all the way until Saturday. By the end of the week you'll be able to race the Forest Trail with your eyes closed."_

They never tried to do that - it was way too dangerous obviously - but Regina couldn't hide her smile while driving down the familiar road to the racetrack through the forest. Emma's yellow bug was right behind her. They stopped at an old oak tree, which marked the start point of the trail. Although it'd been years since Regina had last been here, it still looked the same.

Emma parked her bug right beside her. "Ruby texted me, she got a suit and helmet for you. No one will recognize you and I'll be the one to drive you home afterwards."

"Well, I first need to win this," Regina mumbled.

"Hook doesn't trust anyone with his car. The fact he wants you to race with it says a lot. Do you... Do you mind asking how you two know each other?"

The brunette bit her lip, her eyes going to the floor. "I uh... It's a long story."

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me." Emma looked at her, an unspoken 'I can simply ask Hook later' hanging between them. That's not what she wanted. Hook had only been there for two weeks before everything had come crashing down on her. If she wanted her story to be told, she wanted it to be told right.

"How about this, if I win, I'll tell you, if I lose, you won't ask again?" The stakes she would win were so low, she was sure she wouldn't have to tell Emma. Still, she had to try.

"Fine," Emma agreed with a smile. "Then let's get you to win this. How about we first go ride a few rounds together so you become familiar with the track and then you can rush down here like the devil's behind you."

The two of them got inside Hook's car. Regina drove down the road with reasonable speed. There were a few new potholes on the trail, but the road was mostly as she remembered. Hook's car was very easy going. It cornered well and sped up easy. Although it was a little more expanded than Daniel's car, she had no problems driving it at all.

Their first turn took them about nine minutes, their second seven and a half. Regina remembered her record being 3 minutes and 57 seconds and she wondered if anyone had ever broken it. Once they passed the oak tree again, Emma pulled out a stopwatch. "Let's see how fast we can do this, Regina. Just don't get us killed please."

"I'll try," Regina laughed before she hit the gas, happy to be back, happy to finally feel free again for the first time in many years.

She took each bend with exact precision, trying to avoid the potholes so the car wouldn't be shattered and might make her lose control over the steering wheel. All of a sudden, a car came up behind them, cutting her in a left bend.

"What the hell!?" Regina yelped, steadying the car, which had swerved to avoid collision with the other one. Challenged by the other car, she picked up speed, staying right behind it. There was no way she could pass it right here and now, but she knew what to do.

"Why are you letting yourself fall behind?" Emma asked nervously. She was gripping the handle of the door, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Watch." The last bend was ahead and she waited for the right moment. Depending on the angle you took when driving into it, the person behind you was in a blind spot. Regina hit the gas, pulling the car to the right and passed the other car quickly.

The other driver was surprised but couldn't change the outcome of the race any longer. They passed the oak tree, Regina one car's length in front of him. Both cars stopped.

"4 minutes and 25! This is amazing, Regina!" Emma exclaimed happily. "Hook's best was 4 minutes and 10. The record of this track is still 3 minutes 57."

The brunette laughed about the news. In all these years, no one had been able to break her record?

They got out of the car. Regina could see Emma was still visibly shaking. Apparently she didn't like car races all too well - at least when it came to sitting in the car that was racing. Just when they got out, the door of the other car opened. A man with light brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard got out, dressed in a jeans and dark shirt with a green outdoor jacket.

"I didn't expect anyone to be here today," he said with a British accent. "Also I didn't expect to get beaten by such lovely ladies. My compliment, Milady, your driving is excellent." He threw his dashing smile at Regina who raised an eyebrow. She could swear recognition flickered up in his eyes, but maybe she was wrong. He stepped closer.

"I don't think we've met before. Robin Locksley, at your service." Robin bowed down a little.

"Which Shakespearean play did you jump out of?" Regina asked sassily, earning a furrowed brow from her counterpart.

"Ah, I see. Where'd you pick this feisty one up, Emma?" Robin asked smirking.

"I'm not..." Regina protested but was cut off by Emma.

"She literally ran into me this afternoon. Pan challenged us with a race tonight," the blonde explained.

Robin nodded, his eyes wandering over to Hook's car. "So if Pan challenged you, where's Hook?"

"They beat him up. Regina here will race instead of Killian. We... we have to win otherwise Pan will get his car."

He looked at Regina, eyebrows raised. "Well that's probably going to be pretty interesting. Not something I want to miss. If you need any help..."

"We are fine, thank you. It's nothing we couldn't handle ourselves," Regina snapped. She didn't need help from anyone; she knew how to win a race since she'd won plenty before.

"As you wish, Milady," Robin teased. She couldn't shake of the feeling this man was trying to push her over the edge. "You're getting yourself in a lot of trouble with the bad boys lately, Emma. Would you like me to check out the car before the race starts?" Robin asked.

"There's really no need to," Regina quickly said but Emma waved her aside.

"It'd be nice if you could check it up. This is really important and who knows what tricks Pan plans on using on us."

"Very well. My shop is a few miles down the road. Just follow my lead," Robin smiled.

Growling, Regina stalked over to Hook's car. For some reason this guy got under her skin, and not in a positive way. But please, if he wanted to check out Hook's car, who was she to hinder him? Of course she'd have preferred getting a little more practice before the race - whatever! Regina flipped her hair back and looking over her shoulder. Robin was staring at her, a knowing smile on his face. Once again she felt like he knew her, but she really couldn't remember ever meeting him before.

The three cars drove down the way about three miles before they entered another road, which led deeper into the forest. Soon they arrived at a clearing with a run-down barn house. One part of the gate was open, revealing a car repair shop. Outside of the house were multiple stacks with tires and other things Regina couldn't quite determine. Robin parked his car outside and got out waving at Regina to drive Hook's car into the barn.

She did as asked, surprised how neat and tidy it looked inside the mechanics shop in comparison to the outside of the house. Quickly, she got out, meeting Emma at the gate.

"Papa!" someone yelled. Three pairs of eyes turned around to see a small boy with brown tousled hair and a big smile running over to them.

"My boy!" Robin laughed, kneeling down and waiting for the boy to jump into his arms only to scoop him up and twirl him around.

"Papa did you bring me something from the store?" Roland asked excited, his tiny legs wiggling in the air.

"Wait, let me see..." They walked outside to Robin's car. He opened the trunk, which contained two grocery bags. Emma and Regina followed silently, watching the scene from a few yards away. "Oh, what do I spy there? A bag of jelly beans?"

"Jelly Beans!" Roland exclaimed happily, clapping his hands and reaching out for the bag his father held up. Regina watched with a smile when Roland put on an incredibly sweet puppy-dog-look his father couldn't resist.

"All right. But you know, son, only a hand full a day."

The little boy nodded eagerly and grabbed the bag. He looked up to his father with so much adoration, it was heart wrenching.

"He has a son?" Regina whispered to Emma, still a little surprised about the turn of events.

"Long story but yeah. He's the cutest kid but shouldn't be underestimated," Emma answered knowingly.

Roland stuffed three jellybeans into his mouth and turned around to look at the guests his father had brought home. He smiled at Emma, obviously remembering her from a meeting some time ago, then his eyes wandered over to Regina.

Suddenly he stopped chewing, tiptoeing to reach his father's jacket. "Papa," he whispered. Robin raised an eyebrow and knelt down so he was on the same level as his child.

"What is it, son?"

"I know her! It's the pretty lady!" Regina blushed immediately, trying to look away from father and son, but she couldn't.

"Yes she's indeed really pretty," Robin agreed winking at Regina who tried to glare at him but couldn't quite manage.

"No, Papa! It's the pretty lady with the pretty dress! She's a princess," he pointed out like it was the most natural thing in the world. How could his father not know who she was? "Belle said I could be a knight when I grow up so I can save princesses like her from dragons."

Robin laughed out loud, ruffling his son's hair. "I think Belle has read too many stories to you, Roland."

As if on cue, a small woman with chocolate brown hair was walking toward them. Her hands on her hips, she stopped in front of Robin and Roland, giving the boy her most powerful look while explaining with authoritative voice: "Roland Locksley, how many times have I told you to not simply vanish from the house without telling me where you go first?"

"But Papa..."

Belle shook her head. "No, young fellow, we have talked this through. This means no story next time." Roland growled, his tiny hand gripping the bag with the jellybeans tighter. He looked up, once again with his puppy-dog-look, but Belle seemed to be the only one immune to it.

"Belle is right, Roland. You can't just run off without telling people even if it's just to see me." He looked up to Belle a smile on his face. "Thanks for watching him. I owe you."

The woman shook her head. "No you don't, you know that Robin." She turned around to the two women who had been watching the scene with slight amusement. "Hey Emma, it's nice to see you again."

Emma grinned. "Likewise. Have you met Regina?" The blonde introduced the two of them quickly.

"Yes I think I know you. You won the Miss Maine contest a while ago, right? There were pictures of you in some of the magazines. Congratulations." Belle gave her a sweet smile, but Regina shifted uncomfortably like she had with Ruby this morning.

"Thanks, that's very nice of you."

As if Robin sensed her discomfort, he cleared his throat, announcing he would go and check out Hook's car. Belle's surprise about the upcoming race led to Emma explaining to her what happened at the racetrack in the afternoon. They followed Robin into the mechanic's shop, while Regina remained outside not knowing what to do.

For a moment she watched the people she'd just met talking until she sensed someone watching her. Roland was still standing a few feet away from her eating his jellybeans. She smiled at him nervously. The boy seemed to be thinking hard, before he stepped closer, holding up his bag of jelly beans. "What's your name?"

She knelt down, so she was on the same level with him. "I'm Regina. I'm a... friend of your father's."

He nodded, holding out his bag a little further. "I am Roland. We can share if you want. I like the red ones most."

"Oh, I like the red ones, too," Regina answered smiling.

Roland pulled the bag away for a moment as if he was afraid the woman would eat away all his favorite jellybeans. He eyed her for a minute as if he was wondering what to do. Then finally he held the bag up again. "Okay you can eat from the red ones, too. But not all!"

"I won't," Regina grinned and reached into the bag to pull a red jellybean out. Roland was quick to pull a full hand out and stuff them all into his tiny mouth.

"I thought your daddy told you to only have one hand a day."

The little boy chewed and chewed before he was finally able to answer. "But I have two hands. Papa said one hand but he didn't say one right or one left. So I can take one each."

Regina couldn't hold back a laugh. "Well aren't you a smart one, Roland."

He grinned proudly before his eyes widened a little when a thought occurred to him. "But don't tell Papa."

"I won't," Regina said. "It's our little secret, I promise."

Roland held out his hand as if to seal the promise with a handshake. It was sticky from the jellybeans, but Regina didn't mind at all.


End file.
